I just picked up the new Abkco vinyl pressing of the Rolling Stones "Let It Bleed" and was very eager to compare the sound quality to the SACD reissue that I have become so fond of.
My early impressions of the vinyl were that it sounded good but was not as dynamic and revealing as the SACD pressing. The bass was better on the vinyl and the soundstage is wider with much better seperation. I was ready to call this one a draw until my Dad suggested that I break out the Mobile Fidelity box set and compare the MSFL issue of this same recording. I have two of these box sets(one still sealed) and I rarely play them since I have so many pressings of same recordings. The MoFi vinyl is a real eye-opener. It lacks the deep bass of the Abkco pressing but sounds so much more "vivid" and real. The MoFi also has surface noise,while the Abkco vinyl is near silent. The overall mastering job is superior on the Abkco releases and the detail is greater on both the SACD and vinyl reissuses. The sound may be more "real" on the MoFi recording but it lags behind the Abkco recordings in both detail and ultimate extension at both ends of the frequency.
I have to give this round to the SACD. I also played the original mono and stereo pressings(both US and UK releases) of "Let It Bleed" and gotta say that the folks that still say they sound better have to be smoking something. All my pressings are in mint condition but they lack the depth and impact of any of the modern recordings. I think the mono UK pressing sounds very good but I needed to swap to a Grado Mono cartridge to really get the best sound this recording is capable of.
I have been auditioning the Teac Esoteric DV-50 universal player and I'm in love,this player sounds fantastic and comes close to my best analog gear in terms of soundstaging and bass impact. The vinyl still wins in the midrange and with some vocals but this player is a monumental step forward for digital and has made the sonic gap between digital and analog much,much smaller.
I'm gonna try this again with the Sam Cooke "Live at the Copa" recordings to see and hear which sounds best.
My early impressions of the vinyl were that it sounded good but was not as dynamic and revealing as the SACD pressing. The bass was better on the vinyl and the soundstage is wider with much better seperation. I was ready to call this one a draw until my Dad suggested that I break out the Mobile Fidelity box set and compare the MSFL issue of this same recording. I have two of these box sets(one still sealed) and I rarely play them since I have so many pressings of same recordings. The MoFi vinyl is a real eye-opener. It lacks the deep bass of the Abkco pressing but sounds so much more "vivid" and real. The MoFi also has surface noise,while the Abkco vinyl is near silent. The overall mastering job is superior on the Abkco releases and the detail is greater on both the SACD and vinyl reissuses. The sound may be more "real" on the MoFi recording but it lags behind the Abkco recordings in both detail and ultimate extension at both ends of the frequency.
I have to give this round to the SACD. I also played the original mono and stereo pressings(both US and UK releases) of "Let It Bleed" and gotta say that the folks that still say they sound better have to be smoking something. All my pressings are in mint condition but they lack the depth and impact of any of the modern recordings. I think the mono UK pressing sounds very good but I needed to swap to a Grado Mono cartridge to really get the best sound this recording is capable of.
I have been auditioning the Teac Esoteric DV-50 universal player and I'm in love,this player sounds fantastic and comes close to my best analog gear in terms of soundstaging and bass impact. The vinyl still wins in the midrange and with some vocals but this player is a monumental step forward for digital and has made the sonic gap between digital and analog much,much smaller.
I'm gonna try this again with the Sam Cooke "Live at the Copa" recordings to see and hear which sounds best.
